


Fandom Dynamics: The Hell-Hole of Cringe Culture

by Miss Anonymus (pluto_the_planet)



Series: Fandom Dynamics [2]
Category: Fandom - Fandom, fandom culture - Fandom
Genre: Discourse, Essays, Fan Culture - Freeform, Fandom, Fandom Culture, Fanwork Research & Reference Guides, Meta, cringe culture, do whatever the hell you want kiddos, enjoy yourselves, fanthropology
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-28
Updated: 2019-07-28
Packaged: 2020-07-23 18:44:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20013058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pluto_the_planet/pseuds/Miss%20Anonymus
Summary: I'm quite ticked off about the cringe culture of modern fandom. So, I did what any irrational, pissed off person would do.Wrote an essay about it.





	Fandom Dynamics: The Hell-Hole of Cringe Culture

**Author's Note:**

> I am not trying to offend anyone, or bash people. You know what, actually, I am. I'm bashing people who bash fellow fans for enjoying harmless things. those people are trash goblins. You do you, kiddos.

Repeat after me: OC’s are valid. First person fanfiction is valid. Different opinions are valid. Having favorite characters is valid. 

Good, now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, I can begin. In modern fandom culture, we are quick to judge others for their enjoyment of stereotypically ‘Cringey’ things. This so called ‘Cringe Culture’ has a heavy impact on the perception of fandom as a ‘safe space’, and inter-fandom politics.  
Many people are quick to judge others for having OC’s, or writing first person fanfic. It is seen as ‘cringey’ and ‘immature’. This can be traced back to an ‘us vs. them’ mentality, because most fanfiction uses canon-verse characters and settings. When most fans, who are used to canon-verse, come across something in their fandom that includes new and unfamiliar concepts, they are often wary. These people have joined this fandom because they felt a strong emotional connection with the canon content. For most fans, fandom is a (for lack of a better term) ‘Safe Space’, where everyone is connected through the mutual love of something. So, when fans stumble across a fan-work that takes place in a canon setting, but includes characters that are unfamiliar to them, they may feel that their ‘Safe Space’ has been violated. Because they are not emotionally attached to these original characters, fans will often feel wary of them.  
Honestly, this is ridiculous. First and foremost, fandom is a place of enjoyment. It is not your ‘Safe Space’, rather a place for everyone to have fun, and express their individual experience with the canon-verse. If you are feeling discouraged about creating an OC, or writing first person fanfiction, write it anyway. Fandom is for each individual person’s enjoyment. If you enjoy making OC’s, then do it. Don’t let others bash you for doing something you love.  
Likewise, fandom cringe culture is sometimes centered around how fans interact with certain characters. Some particularly judgy fans will bash people for stanning characters, or calling them their ‘trash sons’, etc.  
I’ll let you in on a little secret: People who judge others for enjoying harmless things absolutely suck. They are the human equivalent of stepping in a puddle of water after putting on fresh socks. They are bashing others for being part of the same fandom as them. Fandom is a place of individual enjoyment. So do whatever the hell you want. (within reason)  
So go forth, and write your first person fanfiction. Make an awesome OC and write a fic about them! Call that character your ‘Trash Son’ or ‘Precious cinnamon roll’. Do whatever you enjoy doing. At the end of the day, we’re all here because we like the same thing.  
In the words of my parents, ‘Don’t yuck my yum’.


End file.
